


How It Is

by Marasa



Series: Dream Eater [6]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Blood, Clingy, Crying, Cuddling, Hurt/Comfort, Impromptu Surgery, M/M, Panic Attacks, Recovery, Soft Boys, Stressful Situations, Supernatural Elements, protective, tense situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-06 19:03:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12217029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marasa/pseuds/Marasa
Summary: Tyler has a naive hope.He thinks that life could be like a movie.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really wasn't expecting this to be a multi-chapter thing, but I have the majority of this fic written and I thought it would work a bit better if it was broken up this way. Expect maybe 2 or 3 parts? Anyway, enjoy.

Tyler has a naive hope.

He thinks that life could be like a movie.

Humans are so strange and romantic. They're in love with an idealized life present on a screen. A majority of it is the same across genres: a problem is posed but the terrible outcome never happens.

The nerd thinks that the handsome prep will go for the cheerleading captain- that is the worst case scenario. But he ends up falling in love with her, the one with the social awkwardness, the self-consciousness, the one that is beautiful but just doesn’t know it.

Together, they are a force so strong, it would seem there was no other outcome ever possible.

And maybe there isn’t. Tyler thinks maybe, just maybe, if someone could _believe_ enough, if only they could have enough hope, maybe the best case scenario could be achieved.

Tyler sits on the couch, picking at his fingernails and legs tucked underneath himself and he hopes that the best case scenario tonight will happen. His will, his hope- that's all he has.

He’s wearing one of Josh’s shirts. It’s too big for him. It keeps spilling over his shoulder and he has to keep rearranging it but it’s comfortable, not just because of the soft fabric and fit, but because it smells of Josh and he needs that comfort right now.

The house is empty. It seems as though everything is on pause, stuck in time until they return. Tyler looks at the clock just under the television- 2:12 am. They have been gone for exactly two hours and seven minutes. The stillness is terrible.

Tyler can’t stop thinking about it.

He had watched as they had all suited up with their guns tucked in their belts and slung over their backs. All wearing black hoodies and dark pants, they had ski masks sitting atop their heads like beanies for quick access and cover, something they would need soon enough.

Tyler had stood against the wall of the living room as he bit at the cuticle of his thumb and worried it between his front teeth, looking at them finally finish their assembly and make their way to the front door silently.

Before leaving out the front door, they all shot the spirit a load of forced smiles and small waves. They never spoke a single word. Tyler was almost hoping for Mark to say some stupid joke or for Hayley to give him a pat on the cheek, for Michael to ruffle his hair or Jordan to smile warmly.

But they were already gone before any of the tension could be eased.

Josh had been standing at the back of their little group that was moving forward already. The spirit had watched as the man greatly hesitated, small steps dragging toward the door and then eventually stopping completely before taking one step out of the house. His friends were already emptied out of the house and into the van but still, Josh stood paralyzed.

Tyler had held his breath in his heightened anxiety as Josh turned carefully around to him, pulling off his hood and balling his mask up in his hand. Josh wouldn’t make eye contact but there was something obviously visible in Josh’s expression that was dire and confused. He looked like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing, but would have much more preferred to be lying down in bed or on the couch. Safe.

Josh had shuffled shyly over to the spirit, head and eyes down as his hands twisted in the black fabric of his mask. His breath was stuttered like he might cry again but the emotion wasn’t there- it was as if he were already much too exhausted to even consider it.

It was hard for Tyler to see him like this; he had never seen him so quietly anxious. The sight hurt so much to witness. This wasn’t right, something wasn’t right, but Tyler stayed quiet, waiting for something, he didn’t know what. He just knew he needed to be there for Josh at this very moment.

Which is why, when Josh stopped in front of him less than a foot away and slowly leaned his whole body into him, Tyler’s arms were already wrapped around him securely.

“You’re okay,” Tyler had whispered gently against his ear. “Shh, Josh, you’re okay.”

Josh had shifted closer, nose prodding the side of Tyler’s neck and arms tightening around him. His grip suggested that maybe he did not want to be a part of this. Tyler had placed a hand on the back of his head.

“I’ll be here when you get back,” Tyler had said. “You’ll be okay; I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Tyler wished he could have kept his arms wrapped around him the entire night, keeping him safe and protected and cared for. But Josh’s grip loosened until his arms fell to his sides. His face broke away from Tyler’s neck. His chest peeled away from Tyler’s. The absence of the other left them both cold.

With a light sniff and still sealed lips, Josh took a few slow steps backwards toward the door before finally turning around and walking outside without another look. The front door had slammed much too loudly.

Tyler can’t focus on the rom-com that plays on the television. His torso still feels cold without Josh there with him. His shirt is a poor substitute for his best friend, his, his…

Tyler picks harder at his nails in his lap and tries to focus on the movie.

The goofy character is certain that his date has stood him up after all the shenanigans he had to pull to even ask her out to dinner in the first place, but what's that? She's actually been here all along, sitting at the table just next to his.

What a mix up.

They share a smile, a laugh.

Crisis averted.

Outside, a car door slams shut in the driveway. Tyler turns toward the sound with a similar stupid hope that whatever happens next will be a crisis averted. He can hear the familiar voices of Josh’s roommates grow in volume outside the door as they approach the house.

Maybe life could be like a movie.

The door slams open so hard that the doorknob breaks a hole into the plaster. Tyler jumps up from the sofa at the sound of panicked yelling.

Michael and Jordan shout orders to Hayley and Mark as they carry Josh into the house, Michael under Josh’s arms, Jordan holding his brother’s feet.

Josh hangs limply between them. His eyes are closed, his lips are parted.

Tyler is cold, so so cold. He feels like he may collapse at any moment. He grips the couch and stares in horrified shock as blood drips heavily onto the carpet from Josh’s unconscious figure.

Tyler had a naive hope.

But life is not like a movie.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deep breath in. Deep breath out- We'll get through this. Now...enjoy!

It's loud, too loud. 

Everyone is talking at once and moving together but Tyler can't take his eyes away from the man that is silent and bleeding in the middle of it.

“Josh?” Tyler says. 

He's unheard.

“The table, the table!” Michael yells. “Get him on the table!”

They're a mass of chaotic movement, a clot of frantic limbs and noise and panic. Blood trails behind them as they all move to the breakfast table.

The spirit is frantic as he follows after them. His bare feet squish on the carpet wet with blood as he pulls at their shoulders and tries to get their attention, an explanation, anything. 

“What's happening? Michael, Michael- what happened? Is he okay? Michael!” Tyler feels powerless as he's ignored. 

They place Josh down on the table as if they were going to dissect him. His legs hang off the end. His arms are down by his sides. His chest doesn't seem to be moving. 

The light above him is turned on and he looks so vulnerable under the unforgiving light. Michael goes to unzip Josh’s black hoodie. Underneath, Josh’s entire torso is covered in blood.

“Josh!”

Tyler’s outburst seems to catch them off guard. They all glance at the spirit as if they're just noticing that he's there. They pant and blink stupidly as they look at him but Tyler isn't looking at them- he's looking at Josh. Josh, who is unconscious and bleeding liberally all over the table.

Tyler suddenly pushes past them against Michael’s warnings of ‘hey, hey, hey!’ He positions himself at Josh’s head and holds the man’s face in his hands. Josh doesn't respond to the touch.

“Josh, Josh,” he rambles, “open your eyes! Josh! Joshua! Open your eyes right now!”

Josh doesn't.

Tyler whips his head toward them as he screams, “What happened?!”

“W-We thought we had it all planned out!” Mark says with a hand in his hair, face sickly pale as he stares down at his unconscious friend. “We put Josh at the side door thinking they wouldn't be there but they were there, a lot of them. We saw them coming. Th-They saw him. They shot him.”

Tyler’s lips tremble. Tears well up in his eyes. He can feel his whole world falling apart. Josh won't open his eyes, his chest doesn't seem to be moving. Tears stream down his face as Tyler mutters those words: “He's dead.”

It doesn't take much else for Tyler to completely lose it.

“He’s dead! You killed him!” Tyler yells with a torrent of tears spilling from his eyes. “All of you- you killed him! Look what you did to him!”

Tyler’s hysterics pushes the rest of them forward. Michael is ordering something of Mark and Jordan’s moving with a towel to Josh’s side. Mark delivers a doctor's bag from under the sink onto the table and Michael begins tearing away Josh’s shirt with his hands.

Revealed is a deep wound on his side still spilling blood steadily. It gathers on the table, pooling under him. Jordan moves a towel just under the wound. Green threads of the towel go red.

Michael jostles Josh as he struggles to tear the last of his shirt off. The ripping sound is violent to Tyler’s ears.

“Stop! Leave him alone!” Tyler wails, swinging his arms sloppily against Michael’s back. “You've killed him, you murderer, you killer!”

“Get him out of here!” Michael yells over his shoulder to anyone that will listen. Someone pulls Tyler off and holds him back. Tyler thrashes in their grip, screaming all the while.

“Tyler, Tyler!” It's Hayley who has a hold of him, or is trying to still hold him. He throws off her hands whenever she tries to place them on his shoulders to pull him back. “He's still alive, Tyler, calm down! Josh is alive!”

But Tyler shakes his head and cries grossly. He breaks free of Hayley’s grip and returns beside Josh’s head. He’s shielding Josh’s face from them, practically lying on top of him and hiding him away. His tears drip onto Josh’s face like warm rain. 

“He's alive Tyler,” Michael’s booming voice sounds over the commotion. “He's breathing, but its shallow. We have to move fast. Just stay out of the way.”

The doctor's bag is opened. Michael retrieves a long pair of pliers and a scalpel. The sight makes Tyler blanch.

Michael leans over Josh. Tyler holds Josh’s head closer to his chest as a pair of pliers sink deep into the hole in Josh’s side.

Michael fishes around inside of him then stills his hand and slowly pulls upwards. It goes quiet as they watch the calculated movement. Finally the pair of pliers break free of the skin.

A single bullet clatters on the table.

The now empty wound overflows with even more blood. It turns the towel sopping wet. 

Michael delves back into the bag and fetches a hooked needle and thick surgical thread. Tyler stays by Josh’s head, practically wrapped around him as he keeps crying. It’s all too much; Tyler is panicking.

The thread is cut. The needle is dropped on the table. Michael stands above Josh with hands and forearms smeared with sticky, red blood, breathing hard and looking down at his stitch-work.

“Move him to the bathroom,” Michael says. “We need to clean him up and bandage him properly.”

Just like when they came in, Josh is picked back up but by Mark and Jordan this time. They push Tyler out of the way inadvertently and are again deaf to Tyler’s panicked help of being taken away from him.

“Wait, wait!” Tyler yells. But down the hall they go to the bathroom. Tyler hurries after them and slips into the small room with his hands pushing and pulling at them.

“Help us sit him against the wall,” Mark says to the spirit as he pulls incessantly at Mark’s hoodie. Tyler is there, helping them gently lay him against the wall on the floor of the bathroom.

Tyler kneels down in front of him and cups Josh’s cheek in an attempt to try and get any kind of response. There is none.

Without thinking, Tyler sits against the bathtub no more than a foot away from where Josh is sitting and pulls the pliant man’s upper body into his lap, maneuvering him so his head against his chest. Tyler cradles Josh. The man’s back is to the door where his friends are, bottom half strewn across the floor and left side facing upwards. The wound is still bleeding. 

“Josh, please,” Tyler pleads. “Wake up. Why won't you wake up? Josh don't do this, please, please…”

“He lost so much blood on the way here,” Mark explains from the doorway. He shakes his head sadly. “The car’s ruined.”

“He hit his head when he fell back on the floor, too,” Hayley adds as she wets a fresh towel in the bathroom sink. “After he was...he was...shot. We don't know how long he’ll be out.” 

Tyler looks down to the man in his arms. The tears won't stop coming.

“Where are the bandages?” Michael says. The rest of them take that as their cue to start talking as well.

“Do we have the tape?”

“Get me the scissors- yeah, those, a knife works.”

“Clean the wound first.”

It's noisy again as everyone piles into the small bathroom. They're talking over each other. Figures clad in dark clothing, blood on their hands and arms, it's like a horror movie when they descend upon the pair on the floor. 

They're holding scissors and reaching out with greedy hands; they want to touch Josh and Tyler can't escape, can't keep him safe.

They, the ones in black clothing with bloody hands, were the ones that put Josh at that door where men with guns were waiting. They were the ones that saw them about to shoot and didn't say anything to warn Josh. They were the ones that made it so Josh was shot. And now they're coming closer. 

Tyler feels out of control. He's breaking. He's afraid. He screams.

“Get away from him!” 

The others flinch at his volume and intensity. 

Tears stream from Tyler’s glowing red eyes as he cradles Josh’s head to his chest, as if the same ones trying to help him will hurt him worse than he already is. Tyler isn't thinking rationally; all he knows is that he doesn't like the way they are crowding him and trying to touch him.

Surprisingly, Michael speaks levelly and doesn't protest.

“Alright, yeah,” Michael says. “Let’s give them some space-”

“But he's still bleeding!” Mark interrupts.

“He's good for now,” Michael says back shortly. “Just...they need some space.” Michael gestures to Hayley. “Give him the washcloth. Tyler can manage it. Now everyone, let’s back up and give him some air for a moment.”

They all back up together. 

Tyler scowls at them, eyes still pulsing red as he watches their every move very closely for any kind of insincerity or trick.

“Tyler,” Michael says. “I need you to clean him up, okay? We’ll dress it properly later once we’re all calmed down.”

“Why are we pandering to him?” Jordan suddenly spits. Tyler snaps his head to him.

Michael turns completely to the man beside him. “Jordan, I'm not stupid,” Michael says sternly. “Glowing red eyes are warning enough for us. I don't know what he's capable of. Everyone just needs to relax for a moment and stay fucking smart.” He turns back to Tyler. “Relax; We’re going to leave.”

“I'm not leaving,” Jordan says. “How do I know he's not gonna hurt Josh? Even by accident? He's all fuckin’ worked up; he's not thinking clearly. I'm staying.”

Tyler panics. 

“You did this to him!” Tyler sobs. “He was so scared and you made him hurt! You didn't protect him! You put him in danger! Get away from him!” 

Jordan takes a step forward into the bathroom- a challenge. Tyler clutches Josh closer, kicks out his leg to keep Jordan back- it’s pure fear.

“Don't come in here,” Tyler rasps out. His eyes shine a deeper red. “Get out. Please just leave us alone.”

Jordan scrunches up his face. “Tyler, he's my brother; I’ll come in if I want to.”

Tyler actually growls at him. The lights of the bathroom flicker. He can see the way Michael’s eyes widen.

“That's my brother!” Jordan shouts. 

“Then why would you let him almost get killed?!” Tyler yells back. 

The bathroom mirror cracks. 

There's a collective gasp and immediately, Michael is grabbing Jordan and pulling him out of the bathroom and into the hall. The bathroom door slams shut. Tyler and Josh are left alone. 

It's quiet for once. It's a relief.

Tyler tightens his grip on Josh’s upper body in his arms as he keeps his eyes on the door. He expects it to open again but it stays closed. Tyler is still tense as his eyes travel to the shattered mirror. 

Tyler swallows roughly; he didn't know he could do that. 

The washcloth sits in a puddle of clean water on the counter by the sink. Tyler reaches and grabs the washcloth without getting up, not wanting Josh to leave his arms. 

With a quiet breath, Tyler gently wipes Josh’s cheek with the cool rag. He goes down the bridge of his nose, over his eyebrows, the edge of his hairline. Josh breathes deeply. If Tyler ignores the bleeding wound on his left side, it looks like he's only asleep.

Tyler gently cleans Josh’s bottom lip, making sure not to touch the crack there that is scabbed over. Maybe from a punch in the face, maybe from just dry lips- it still looks painful.

The spirit reaches up to the bathroom drawer to his upper left and struggles to get it open. Finally it pops open and he fishes inside for the neosporin, smiling tiredly to himself when he finds it.

He squeezes some on his finger and applies it gently to Josh’s lip. It's not much. Tyler can't remove bullets, can't stitch up flesh, doesn't know how to dress a deep wound. All Tyler can do is apply neosporin to a split in Josh’s lip and hold him and that's exactly what he's going to do.

Josh sighs. Tyler smiles tiredly.

Carefully, very carefully, Tyler moves the washcloth down to Josh’s side where the wound is. The skin is beginning to bruise deeply around the bullet hole. The blood smeared along his side is drying to a rust color. Tyler gently touches the towel to the dry blood.

Josh groans.

“Shh, shh,” Tyler immediately eases. “You're okay, shh, shh.”

He tries again, slower and even gentler. The blood on Josh’s side is erased as the towel sucks up the dark red stain. Tyler throws the used rag behind him and into the bathtub.

Josh’s breathing sounds agonizing. Each inhale gets stuck in his throat on the way down. He breathes like there's some kind of weight on his chest. He sputters, wheezes. It may be an unconscious response to the pain.

“Shh, shh,” Tyler coos. He combs through Josh’s sweaty, red hair and rests his lips against his forehead. Tyler thinks that maybe he should try the dream manipulation thing again but he's too upset and can't focus on much more than coddling the one in his lap as he begins to cry again.

He doesn't think Josh is able to dream at the moment anyway.

Tyler spends hours looking down at Josh, gently stroking his scraped cheekbone and combing his fingers through his hair as he waits for him to wake up. The spirit perks up at any small twitch of Josh’s features but nothing ever comes of it.

At the two hour mark of hiding out in the bathroom, the doorknob turns. Tyler jumps and pulls Josh closer to him on instinct, waiting for the intruder’s entry.

Michael steps inside slowly. Tyler is suddenly trembling; he can't control it even though he's trying desperately to come off intimidating. 

“G-Get out-”

“Tyler, just listen,” Michael interrupts. “I know you're protective right now. It's an instinct for you, you just want to keep him safe; I get it. I'm going to respect your boundaries and give you the time you need but only as long as you aren't endangering him-”

“I'm not!”

Michael sighs shortly and tries to keep his patience. “Tyler, his wound needs to be properly disinfected and bandaged properly. I get that you want to help but you trying to help may be actually hurting him, so take that into account when you want to tell us to fuck off.” Tyler sniffles, scowls, but doesn't object. “You can stay here, you can still hold him, you can be just as you are now but can I please do what I need to do?”

Tyler pauses, holds Michael’s gaze, holds Josh closer. It takes incredible effort for him to nod.

He stares at Michael cautiously as the man comes nearer and reaches around Josh with large hands. The spirit was expecting it but he can't help that the movement still frightens him. Tyler shifts away minutely with Josh still held tightly in his arms, a whimper trickling out of him.

“I'm not taking him from you,” Michael whispers softly. “I need to check his stitches, Tyler.”

Tyler seems skeptical; he battles internally, still trembling and trying in vain to keep his cool but he's tired and frustrated and uncertain. Michael notices his struggle and gives a gentle smile in an attempt to ease him.

“You're keeping him safe, Tyler, and I appreciate it. You're doing fine, wonderful even,” Michael says. “Everything will be fine, alright? Just work with me, Tyler.”

Tyler stares, gnawing on his lip but compromises with the man. He shifts a little closer to the offered help and holds Josh in a way where the wound is more easily accessible.

Michael doesn't waste any time, still worried that Tyler will change his mind at any given moment. He grabs the gauze from the counter, some tape and rubbing alcohol from under the sink.

He splashes the wound with the rubbing alcohol. Josh moans painfully in his unconscious state. 

Michael looks up at his unconscious friend to try and address his discomfort but Tyler is already there with a hand on the side of Josh’s neck, thumb moving in a circular motion just over his pulse and his lips murmuring soothing words against Josh’s hairline. 

Josh quiets immediately.

“You already know what to do,” Michael murmurs more to himself than the spirit. Tyler sniffles and doesn't stop his circles on Josh’s neck as he rests the bridge of his nose on the man’s forehead and nuzzles softly in an eskimo kiss motion.

Tyler looks to what Michael is doing to see that the stitches are still intact. Blood seeps from between them. It's a lot, but not as much as it had been when it had been an open hole in his side. A deep black bruise surrounds the entry point of the bullet. Tyler winces. It looks agonizing. 

Michael carefully places the gauze atop the wound. The hurt is hidden, but the bruise still peeks past the perimeter of it.

“You will not hurt him like this ever again,” Tyler says seriously as Michael secures the tape back to Josh’s skin. The man looks up to stare into deep red eyes that seem to still almost be glowing. “I won't let you. I swear on my existence- this will never happen again.”

Michael nods in solemn understanding. “I understand. I'm sorry.”

Tears still leak from Tyler’s eyes. “I'm not ready to forgive you.”

“That's fine, Tyler,” Michael says softly. “I didn't expect you to forgive me so easily. I know it's a lot for you. It's a lot for the rest of us. I just want you to know we didn't mean to hurt him. We care so much about Josh, we could never hurt him but things happen.”

Michael looks down at Josh and reaches out a hand to touch his arm. Tyler pulls Josh just out of reach. More tears flow from his eyes down his cheeks and he's pained as he shuts his eyes and squeaks, “We need to be alone. Please just leave us alone.”

Michael retracts his hand with a rough swallow but respects Tyler’s boundaries and stands from floor before walking out the door. He makes sure to close it behind himself, quieter this time.

Tyler gives a broken sigh. He is so exhausted. 

He feels like he'll go unconscious at any moment. The spirit gives a weak yawn before maneuvering Josh in his lap so he has a better grip on him. He still feels broken, terrified, anxious, but Josh is here, with him, in his arms. He's still asleep but Tyler hopes dearly that he will wake up.

He leans his forehead on Josh’s and closes his eyes. Warm tears fall atop Josh’s face like boiling morning dew.

Tyler can't help but finally nod off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You good? Good.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy

Tyler wakes in anxiety. 

His eyes fly open at the movement of another beside him. He expects it to be Josh, wants it to be Josh, but he looks down to see that the other’s eyes are still closed and instead sees slender hands and painted nails trailing along Josh’s side.

Tyler jumps, clutches Josh tightly and whimpers consistently.

“Mm, mm, mm-” the spirit can't stop the panicked noises that spill from himself; waking up in fear is one of the worst ways to wake up.

“Tyler, calm down,” Hayley whispers quietly. Upon seeing his distress, she retracts her hands from the darkly stained bandages on Josh’s side. “I'm just cleaning him up, okay? We have to change his bandages. These ones are dirty.”

Why did she come in without his permission? Why did she come in when he was sleeping? Why would she sneak around? Why wouldn't she be truthful? Why would she touch Josh when she was a part of the group that put him in danger? 

The spirit shakes his head back and forth in frustration and panic.

“Tyler, I have to do this.”

He still feels out of control. He feels hopeless, he feels like they don't trust him to take care of Josh or that he's incapable- Tyler feels like he doesn't matter.

Tyler begins to sob. 

Why do they keep coming in here? He keeps saying he wants to be alone but they're constantly there, touching Josh, pulling at him, trying to take Josh away from him again.

He’s frustrated, annoyed, furious- he just wants to be left alone with him, wants to protect him from the ones that put him in danger. He feels like shit that he can't even do that.

The spirit almost expects Hayley to forget him and leave him alone but she simply slides in onto his other side, places a hand on his cheek and guides him to her shoulder. Surprisingly, Tyler finds himself falling into her touch- the comfort is what he needs and only now does he realize it.

“Why would you hurt him?” Tyler sobs against her. “He cried before he left and then he came back bleeding. I told him everything was going to be okay but he's almost dead. All of you are his friends, why would you do this? Why wouldn't you protect him? Why would you let this happen?”

Hayley just coos to him and holds him as he holds Josh.

“I-I’m scared.” Tyler chokes out. “I'm so scared, I need him, I need him in my life. All of you, you tried to take him away from me; I can't lose him, I can't, I can’t-”

“I know, I know, shh,” Hayley whispers in his ear. Tyler shudders. “We didn't mean for it to happen, Tyler, and we wish we could go back in time and never go to that stupid job but we can't; we have to stay together and get through this.” Hayley rubs up and down his back, his neck, the back of his head. “We’re all going to be okay. Josh is tough as fuck, Tyler. He's not giving up this easily and you know it. It'll be okay- it's more than okay to be scared right now.”

She kisses his temple as he pulls back, sniffling and hiccuping any remaining sobs stuck in his chest. 

“Breathe,” she whispers, wiping the tears from his eyes, “we’re going to get through this.”

Tyler whimpers.

“Now do you think I can replace his bandages? They've been on for more than ten hours. Or would you like to do it?”

Tyler pauses, didn't know it's been that long or that he slept almost all day and that Josh has too. But he gives a shy nod and mouths, ‘you,’ and lets her touch Josh’s side.

Hayley makes quick work of it. She secures new, clean white bandages and throws away the old, brown ones and leaves them alone with a small smile. 

Later that night, when Tyler has calmed down significantly and is beginning to regain his sense, they start to come in.

Tyler lets them.

Mark comes in with a bowl of ramen. He sits next to Tyler, unnaturally quiet, spins a forkful of noodles in the bowl and then holds it in front of Tyler’s lips. He waits patiently as Tyler moves his head away and then tries again, never saying a word as the cycle is repeated over and over again. Finally Tyler takes it, chews, swallows. Mark smiles and gives him another forkful. Mark only leaves when the bowl is completely gone.

Hayley comes back in hours later with a water bottle and wet washcloth. She runs the damp towel over Tyler’s face, down his neck, across the backs of his shoulders. Tyler’s eyes droop at the coolness, the temperature welcome after having an almost uncomfortably hot body plastered against his for so long. Then she brings the water bottle to his lips and helps him drink, stroking the back of his hair as he guzzles it down. 

Michael comes in much later to check on Josh’s bandages and stitches. He notices how Tyler leans over and tries to see the wound, so he assures the worried spirit that none of the stitches have busted. Michael throws away the old, bloody gauze and bandages him up again, leaving quietly but not before telling Tyler everything will be fine, then leaves to give Tyler the respect and privacy he needs.

Jordan comes in silently late that night, sits down next to Tyler, looks down at Josh and promptly begins to weep. That's his brother Tyler is holding in his arms, his best friend all his life. They share blood, the same blood that is stained on Josh’s torso and Tyler’s oversized shirt. The agonizing sound that comes from Jordan’s mouth makes Tyler cry too. Jordan lays his head on Tyler’s shoulder and Tyler lays his head atop Jordan’s. 

“I didn't mean for this to happen, Tyler,” Jordan weeps. “You have to believe me. I almost lost my brother.”

Tyler leaves his left hand under Josh’s neck but raises his right hand to rest on Jordan’s wet cheek. The man cries and cries and cries and Tyler lets hot tears spill from his own eyes silently as he holds both Dun boys in his arms.

Before Jordan can fall asleep on Tyler’s shoulder, evidence being his quieting cries and more lax position, he stands on shaky legs and leaves but not before saying, “Thank you for taking care of my brother.”

Tyler nods.

Hours tick by. No one else is coming in. It's just them, like Tyler wanted it to be.

His legs are going numb and his body is beginning to ache from being in the same position on the floor floor so long, but he can't find it in himself to move. He can't take the chance.

Boredom is just another symptom of this strange and trying time. The tears have mostly gone and the exhaustion is barely there, leaving him idle.

The only thing to do in this silence is think.

Tyler smiles as he conjures the many memories of him and Josh talking on the couch or in Josh’s bedroom or in the backyard, whenever Josh was having a bad day.

He would sometimes vent with a quick warning of, ‘Do you mind if I just rant for a minute?’ and Tyler would always shake his head, smiling and listening patiently as Josh detailed an encounter with someone who had given him a hard time. Tyler didn't mind his heated rambling because he liked to hear Josh talk.

Sometimes Josh would talk just to talk. They would lay down in bed and just look at each other as Josh whispered about his favorite music, his favorite time of year, how Tyler’s eyes were his favorite shade of red. 

Sometimes Josh had trouble talking. He would be so quiet and Tyler would ask what was wrong and then Josh would only murmur, ‘Can you please talk to me? J-Just...need to hear your voice…’ and then Tyler would talk and talk and talk.

He would talk about what new thing he learned about the human world that day, like how there are oceans that glow half across the world or how there is a new kind of frog discovered that is completely see-through, or how a ‘toaster oven’ bronzes bread just right but does it have to be that frightening when it releases the bread?

Josh would smile tiredly, eyes slipping closed but Tyler knew he was still listening so he'd go on about books Jordan was letting him borrow and new facts about Earth and things that happened with the rest of the house that day.

But Tyler would never mention how he noticed the tips of Josh’s fingers grazing his own as he talked and talked and talked. He would never mention how the slightest touch from him made his ears burn and his stomach twist excitingly, made his heart beat faster and his resolve suddenly go incredibly shy and giddy. He would never mention how much he wanted to take Josh’s larger hand in his smaller one and just hold and cradle and feel. 

Tyler looks down at Josh still in his lap, still feeling that warm feeling within him as he sees he's still breathing, stronger and more stable too. But his eyes are closed, but the spirit thinks maybe he's still listening. It's Tyler’s time to talk now.

“I told you I was going to be here when you got back,” Tyler says as he strokes Josh’s hair and smiles softly. “And I'm here. I've been here the entire time. You shouldn't have to be alone. You should be safe. I've been trying my best. A lot has been happening.

“Something weird happened earlier. I didn't know I could crack mirrors. And it's kind of scary…” Tyler says as he looks at the shattered mirror. “The past day has been scary, Josh. You scared me.

“I thought I was gonna lose you. I was so so scared. I couldn't lose you, I-I…” Tyler sighs and looks at the ceiling. “I said some things I didn't mean to them. I wouldn't let anyone in here and I feel bad about it. I want to apologize but I'm scared. 

“I told your friends to not touch you, to not see you. I told your brother that he was...he was a part of the reason you got hurt.” Tyler’s bottom lip trembles. “I didn't mean it. I was just scared and upset. I was angry but I didn't know who to be angry at. Everything was so confusing…I didn't mean what I said but they were so hurt. 

“They've been so patient, so kind to me. I don't deserve their forgiveness…”

A few tears escape his eyes and trail down his face. Tyler tries to blink the rest away as he looks at the blood stain on the wall beside him. 

“I haven't talked to you for almost an entire day and I think that's the first time that's ever happened. I-I don't like it. I want to talk to you, even if you don't talk back. I just thought maybe...you'd want to hear my voice...so you'd know you weren't alone.” Tyler sniffles. “I don't ever want you to think that you're alone, asleep or not.

“I just don't have a lot else to talk about,” Tyler says. “I wish I had something fun to tell you...something that wasn't so sad. But I can't think of anything.”

Tyler pauses, looking at the door and trying to wrack his brain for anything else he could say. 

“I'd, uh...tell you a fact...if only I knew one. I mean, I know a lot of interesting facts, but not any new ones ‘cause we’ve been in here for a while. Um…maybe…” Tyler sighs when nothing comes to mind. He shuts his eyes in defeat. “I'm sorry. I want to talk to you but I don't have any new facts to tell you.”

“That's okay.”

Tyler's eyes snap open.

Still laying in his lap, Josh looks up at him with a small smile and deep brown eyes. Pain and discomfort is evident is on his face but he still manages to smile. Even in his battered, weak state, he looks bright, happy, beautiful.

Tyler’s lips tremble for something, anything to say. He's shaking, not knowing if this is real or not. He hopes it's real, needs it to be real. All he can manage is a high, tight squeak of, “Hi.”

Josh’s smile stretches wider. He answers in a raspy voice, “Hi.”

Then, Tyler breaks. 

It's with relief this time as he begins sobbing. He curls his arms around Josh as he goes boneless, crying messily against his neck. 

He can feel Josh chuckle groggily underneath him, his fingers twitching upwards to touch Tyler’s waist in an attempt to hug him back but he's much to weak.

“Joshua, Joshua, Joshua,” Tyler weeps.

“You're okay,” Josh whispers with a gravelled voice, repeating what Tyler had said to comfort him in his own time of need. “I'm here, Tyler. You're okay.”

Tyler squeezes him tighter, tears sliding down Josh’s neck and down his chest. Josh let’s him cry. 

He can feel Josh smile against him. He can feel Josh’s lips press against the side of his head in tiny, meaningful kisses that brim with warmth and adoration. Tyler can't vocalize how much Josh means to him because he's choking on his sobs.

“I-I m-missed-d y-you,” Tyler stutters through broken breaths.

“I missed you too,” Josh whispers. He finally musters enough strength to wrap his arms around Tyler’s waist.

On the bathroom floor, they hold each other. Josh’s side still bleeds, his muscles are tight with pain, there's so much they need to do, to take care of.

But here, as Tyler cries and Josh continues pressing soft kisses to his hair, this is what they need for now. 

In each other’s arms, Tyler feels that everything will be fine. 

Josh tightens his grip around Tyler’s waist.

More than fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


End file.
